OJAI FESTIVALS LTD

THE 78TH OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL, JUNE 6 TO 9, 2024, WAS LED BY INTERNATIONALLY CELEBRATED PIANIST MITSUKO UCHIDA AS MUSIC DIRECTOR. THE 2024 OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL REPERTORY REFLECTED MANY OF THE COMPOSERS CHAMPIONED BY MS. UCHIDA WITH FOCUS ON THE MUSIC OF THE LATE KAIJA SAARIAHO, SOFIA GUBAIDULINA, HELMUT LACHENMANN, GYORGY KURTG, AND JORG WIDMANN. AMERICAN MUSIC WAS ALSO REPRESENTED WITH IMPORTANT WORKS BY JOHN ZORN, MISSY MAZZOLI AND JOHN ADAMS. THE FESTIVAL INTRODUCED YOUNG ARTISTS TO OJAI AUDIENCES, WITH THE PERCUSSIONIST SAE HASHIMOTO, THE VIDEO ARTIST/MUSICIAN XUAN, SOPRANO LUCY FITZ GIBBON, AND THE ACCORDIONIST LJUBINKA KULISIC, IN ADDITION TO THE RETURN OF VIOLINIST ALEXI KENNEY, CELLIST JAY CAMPBELL, AND THE MAHLER CHAMBER ORCHESTRA. DURING THE CONCENTRATED FOUR DAYS OF THE FESTIVAL, THERE WERE SEVEN MAIN LIBBEY BOWL CONCERTS, TALKS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH 2024 ARTISTS AND COMPOSERS, OFF-SITE MULTIMEDIA MUSIC PRESENTATIONS, AND FREE POP-UPS AND CONCERTS OPENED TO THE OJAI COMMUNITY. TO ENSURE THE FESTIVAL REACHES A FAR WIDER AUDIENCE OUTSIDE OF LIBBEY BOWL, FREE LIVE STREAMING OF THE MAINSTAGE CONCERTS WAS MADE AVAILABLE ON THE FESTIVAL'S WEBSITE AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ALONG WITH OTHER ARCHIVED FESTIVAL SEASONS. THE FESTIVAL CONTINUED PROVIDING FREE ONLINE OFFERINGS INCLUDING THE OJAICAST PODCAST AND VIRTUAL OJAI TALKS TO FURTHER ENGAGE WITH PATRONS. THESE SESSIONS WITH 2024 FESTIVAL ARTISTS GAVE PARTICIPANTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE FESTIVAL REPERTOIRE AND PROGRAMS AND ENJOY MUSIC VIA THE VIRTUAL WORLD. THE FESTIVAL PARTICIPATED IN THE STATEWIDE CALIFORNIA FESTIVAL, LAUNCHING ITS "CREATIVE LAB" CONCERT SERIES INTENDED TO PRESENT A SERIES OF PERFORMANCES IN AND AROUND OJAI DURING THE YEAR BETWEEN THE FLAGSHIP JUNE FESTIVAL.THE FESTIVAL'S CELEBRATED BRAVO MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM CONTINUED TO SERVE OJAI PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WITH FREE WORKSHOPS, INTERACTIVE DEMONSTRATIONS, AND CONCERTS. DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, BRAVO SERVED 3500 STUDENTS. THANKS TO CONTINUED FUNDING, BRAVO PRESENTED ITS ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM LED BY SIX LOCAL AREA MUSICIANS GOING INTO THE CLASSROOMS. SPRING PROGRAMS INCLUDED THE IMAGINE CONCERT AT LIBBEY BOWL FOR UPPER ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WHO ENJOY A LIVE CONCERT WITH PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS AND MUSIC VAN, ORGANIZED BY BRAVO VOLUNTEERS, WHICH VISITED EIGHT SCHOOLS ALLOWING STUDENTS TO TRY DIFFERENT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. DURING THE SUMMER, BRAVO CONTINUES WITH TWO ART & MUSIC CAMPS LED BY BRAVO TEACHERS AND VOLUNTEERS WHERE CHILDREN LEARN IN AN INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENT OF MUSIC, MOVEMENT, AND ART. ANOTHER ASPECT OF BRAVO IS BRIDGE WHERE STUDENTS VISIT LOCAL SENIOR RETIREMENT HOMES AND SHARE MUSIC THROUGH SONGS AND GAMES WITH THE RESIDENTS.